Staying Hydrated While Traveling.

It is so easy to become dehydrated while traveling because airlines seem to be cutting back on the times the cart comes down the aisle, especially during a night flight. 

 The other issue is that many of us, myself included, decrease the amount I drink because I don't want to have to get up and use the restroom multiple times during the plane trip.   We need to make sure we drink lots of liquid before we ever hit the airport so we start our trip properly hydrated. 

When in the air, you tend to lose about 8 ounces of water per hour which on the longer flights can add up. You are losing this much liquid because the air tends to be quite dry on a plane. Losing liquid is why they recommend you drink at least 8 ounces of water every hour to make up for what you are losing.  If you aren't one to drink that much, there are things to do to help you stay hydrated.

One thing, is to bring you own water bottle with you so that you always have water with you.  If you don't like straight water, add a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange to give it a bit of flavor.  I realize that it is sometimes difficult to carry any of these fruits with you when you travel, so you can get some dried lemon or orange from places like Amazon that you can just add to your water.  Most airports have opened up their water fountains so you can refill it at the airport after you've gone through security.

In addition, it is recommended you add chia seeds to your water because they can absorb between 9 and 12 times their weight in water.  This helps add more liquid to your body. You might want to invest in a mix that you can add that provides you with additional vitamins and minerals so you always have enough electrolytes and such in your body.  You don't need to buy Gatorade, just look for instant mixes designed to help you stay hydrated.

If you like alcohol, keep your intake to an absolute minimum because it acts as a diuretic and you'll want to go to the bathroom a lot more.  In addition, they strongly recommend you cut down on the amount of tea or coffee you drink on a flight because it is also a diuretic.  You don't want to drink something that will take more liquid from your body. 

One last point is to monitor yourself for dehydration.  One clue is to check the color of your urine.  You want it the water in the toilet to be a light yellow to clear.  If it turns a deep yellow to almost orange, you need liquid.  By the time you feel thirsty, you will be dehydrated.  Look for symptoms such as a dry or sticky mouth, confusion, anger, or being tired, dry eyes or blurred vision, head aches, muscle cramps, disorientation, the lack of sweat, or possibly a fever.

My preferred method of monitoring my hydration level is by watching the color of my urine,  When it is a nice bright yellow that is not too dark, I know I need to increase the amount of liquid I'm consuming because I'm half way to being dehydrated.  Always monitor yourself and drink lots of liquids while traveling.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.